Cloud computing and distributed computing environments allow for many benefits, including scaling of processing resources to the instantaneous demand, sharing of costs of hardware and software across multiple customers, and dynamic response to unforeseen needs and requirements.
Such distributed, cloud and on-demand systems typically involve multiple processes, computers, and data networks to complete or perform a job or function for a user, where a user may be an actual person or another requesting process. When these distributed resources are properly allocated, configured, and engaged to perform the job, there can be significant amounts of intermediate data shared between them, especially across data networks.
When this transmitted data is of a sensitive nature, it is especially useful to protect that data from exposure to or access by the requesting user, whereas such a breach could not only endanger the confidential structure and design of the computing environment, but may also comprise personal information or corporate competitive data.